


Three Years After

by Rebel_Flame



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Crying, Depression, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, F/M, Flashbacks, Isolation, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Romance, Sad, Sadstuck, Slow Build, Slow To Update, Suicide Attempt, Swearing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-05
Updated: 2018-06-29
Packaged: 2019-03-28 11:17:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,078
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13902876
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rebel_Flame/pseuds/Rebel_Flame
Summary: Its been three years now. Three whole damn years since he was gone. The love of your life, Karkat Vantas, the unstoppable, had been stopped. You still remember the news reports, and the deep sinking feeling of your life coming to a screeching halt.The drowning screams of his voice are a blur now, his yells of terror and your silence because of the shock. Everything is hazy when you recollect it all because you've been told that you're just blocking it out of your memory, and that might be true, but you have to remember. For his sake. For yours.The end is now your beginning. The story is written and now you must play it through. Three years, rewritten.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is the opener to the story, I just wanted to throw it out there that I am a slow writer. I take my sweet sweet time to describe everything, and even now i'm not the best writer. This story is just for me really,,, like, I'd love to have an audience who actively follows my writing. But if not, that's chill. 
> 
> Fair warning ahead of time, I tend to wax towards sad stuff over happy happenings. So beware of that. I love love love sad things, I can't get enough of the good sad stuff, or the things I like when it comes to relationship ruining. Such as I can't find any good ghost john fics and the sad Davekat stuff. Such as this one. 
> 
> I don't think Im a sad person btw,,, I just write sad stuff because it's how I roll I guess. Also, heads up, im a lame person and can only really write in first person.
> 
> One last thing, my writing bursts are varied. Sometimes I will get into a writing funk that makes me pump out chapters like crazy, then i'll stop writing for a few months. It depends really. But right now im working on discipline which part of it is posting on my Homestuck shitpost page on Instagram and writing regularly. Its good training yknow? 
> 
> And with that, this concludes my "essay" on myself. Please enjoy the fic if you choose to read it!

It was a bright, sunshiny day, y'know, one of those perfect days where your average white picket fence family would host the annual neighbourhood barbeque. Uncle Jimmy would bring loads of beer and slip you some and that's why he was your favourite uncle. Your family's inground pool would be crammed with hot babes and those weirdly shaped floating tubes. Life would be absolute perfection, not a cloud in the sky to block the sun's cancerous rays or ruin your barbecue. Little did everyone know that clouds are just wisps of water, and wisps can form fast. That's just what they did too.  
~~~

“Dave!! Are you and your slow ass almost ready yet?” The short, angry, yet adorable troll yelled from downstairs. 

“Yes my liege!” you called back. You loved to tease him like that, of course he absolutely hated the pet names. I’m not one of your human pets Dave! Of course not babe you’d always coo back. He was such a baby about it sometimes.

“AaaHHG!” You heard him shout from the doorway as he slammed it behind him. Today was the day you two, and the rest of the gang, would be going to the beach. It had been planned during an especially long winter, when everyone was sick of the cold. Now that the day has arrived, Karkat has been anxious. He never explicitly told you why, but you have your guesses. Karkats always been self conscious. 

On his home planet it was his blood colour, here its his body image. You're always telling him that he is absolutely breathtaking in your eyes. Then he would make a snarky remark about “how can you see anything ‘absolutely breathtaking’ if you’ve got those shitty shades on.” Of course you understand that it’s just his personality, but sometimes he can really hit home. He never truly means it though, deep down he's a caring guy. 

Currently though, that nice guy is on a rampage outside. You walked over to the window to see him angrily packing the car with towels and other beach necessities. He looked up at the window and as soon as he spotted you he screamed and threw his bag on the ground. His cute towel with little colourful crabs flew out along with his sunglasses and spare clothes. 

With a sigh you turned and decided it's best not to upset him anymore. You grabbed your totally awesome towel, that Karkat said was lame, and walked down. You loved your “lame” towel, it was a rose red with little crows across it saying “squak” and “chirp.” Sure, at first it was a lame gift from John at first, but now it's totally the best thing since sliced bread.

“GOD DAMNIT DAVE I AM GOING TO PERSONALLY DRAG YOU BY YOUR EAR TO THE FUCKING CAR AND PURPOSELY GIVE YOU RUG BURN!” A furious Karkat now was screaming in your rooms doorway. 

“Oh, yeah, sorry babe. I got distracted doin-”  
“NO FUCKING SHIT!!!” you risked a glance at him. His face was pure red in his tirade of irritation. God was he ever perfect. 

You walked past him easily and started your descent downstairs, listening to his rampage.

“Are you about done hun???” you called up to him as you headed out the front door. You smirked as you heard his screams of anger vanish and his heavy footsteps tramp down the stairs in a hurry.

You smiled innocently at him as he stalked past you. 

“You wanna drive honey?” You asked in an attempt to soothe his anger, and as a peace treaty. He never gets to drive because you never truly leave the house. And when you leave do he prefers to walk. 

“No.” He stated grumpily.

“Fine then, its your loss.” You shrugged and began to get into the driver's seat but then he grabbed your wrist.

“I changed my mind, get the hell out of my seat.” You sighed softly. It wasn't an angry sigh, it was one of those “I love you but you're impossible” sighs. 

Once you both were situated in the car, Karkat looked at you for a minute. You could tell he was trying not to smile for his dignities sake. But it was to late for that.

“Is that a smile I see~??” You chirped at him jokingly. 

“No way!” He looked away, a blush lightly dusting his cheeks. Thank you whatever higher deity there is for giving him to me you thought lovingly.

“Here…” You shot out of your gushing trance to focus on him. 

“Yeah babe?” he thrust a small bottle of sunblock at you. 

“I know human skin burns easily due to long exposure to the sun”... Karkats glare was focussed and kind, not harsh like before. You had to blink a couple of times before realizing that he had gone out of his way to buy some for you.

“Omygoshthankyou!” You pushed out, blushing. In a show of your appreciation of leaned over and kissed his cheek. Now you both were blushing fools. 

“Daaave” Karkat whimpered. 

“If we don't quit the cutesy stuff we’re going to be late.” He said as he attempted to regain some of his composure. “And you know how much Kanaya and Rose will give us shit for that one.” 

Twas true, If we were late, they would tease us relentlessly for “being gross.” But the truth is that we both know who the gross ones were.

And with that Karkat stirred the car to life and we were off. Music playing, of course, driver picks tunes. Karkat always plays the sappy shit from musicals too, but you sing with him for his benefit. 

Yes, life was good, with your loud, unashamed singing of Heathers “Fight for me.” But soon life was about to turn upside down and back around for worse. There was no for better written in these vows.


	2. Fresh Beginnings

The minute Karkat and I stepped out of the car we heard Kanaya’s sweet laugh fill the surrounding area. What she was laughing about, you have no idea, but whatever it was had Karkat practically chasing after her. You had to grab his arm to keep him booking it, because he had to unload too. 

“What the fuck Dave?” He snapped at you. “I want to go see my moirail if you don't mind.” 

“You can see her while you’re carrying some of the snacks we brought.” He scoffed at you and grabbed two bags of snacks and padded off straight towards her. You sighed, at least he's happy. 

Once everything you both had brought had been situated, you laid out your towel and sat back soaking in the sun.

“For once your shades are being worn in an appropriate situation.” You looked up to see Vriska. She was wearing a navy blue bikini with pearly white threadings across it to give it a patterned vibe.

“What do you mean?” you smirked. “My shades are always appropriate." She scowled at you for a second then pepped up into one of her overly loud laughs.

“Oh Dave, you never fail to crack me up.” She sat next to you and looked up at the sky. “So how's the whole “please marry me karks” thing going? You planning on popping the question yet?" She side glanced at you.

“No, I haven't. And if you aren't more quiet about it, there will be no question to pop.” 

“Well excuse the hell out of me then.” She chirped. “I don't suppose you were planning on it today were you?” Oh, now she's just playing 20 questions. 

“I guess you’ll just have to find out like everybody else.”

“Aww c’mon don't be like that! It's just a simple yes or no question.” 

“Oh in that case it’s definitely a double shut your fucking trap.”

“You’re cruel Dave.” She pouted. She then got up and dusted herself off. “Nice talking to you dork.” and with that she was gone. Good riddance you'd say. 

You looked around to see Karkat happily chatting with Kanaya and Rose. He was basically a teenage, hopeless romantic girl at times. But you loved him for that, he was never afraid to stand up for himself or others. 

With a glance to the otherside you saw Vriska and Terezi playing volleyball against Roxy and Calliope. John and Jade were on the sidelines rooting them all on. John most likely playing the role of the announcer.

Out in the water, Dirk and Jake were having an intense water gun fight. And at the looks of it, Jake was winning. If you even could win a water gun fight. 

The smell of burgers wafted across the beach, carried by the wind. You looked back to the volleyball court to see a grill closer to you than them. Jane was, of course, cooking the food. 

Every gathering was like this. Jane cooked, Vriska always challenged other people to a game of whatever was appropriate for the setting, and Kanaya and Karkat chatted away to their heart's content. But, they always did that over the phone, so that aspect wasn’t different in the slightest.

You wanted to join in on something, so getting up you marched yourself over to where your sister and the love of your lifes current placement. Next to the snacks. 

“Whats up?” You smoothly asked, taking your place next to Rose. 

“Oh wonderful timing Dave, we were just talking about you!” You smirked as Karkats face went into a bright red blush. 

“Kanaya” Karkat whined, holding out the final 'a' sound for a few beats. Rose just snickered and joined in.

“Oh yes Dave! We were just contemplating whether or not you'd look good in pink.” She flashed Karkat a smirk and gave Kanaya a wink. 

“Oh really??” You chidded, looking at Karkat. “Whatever for?” knowing fully well that wasn't what they were gossiping about.  
Karkat just covered his face with his hands and groaned. 

“Fuck off you guys!” He was such a baby sometimes. 

“Don't worry babe,” you put your hand on his shoulder “I know that's not what you were actually talking about.” He just groaned painfully. You looked at Kanaya who smiled and pointed at your pocket. You looked down to see a small black box falling out of your pants pocket. Your heart leaped and you hastily shoved it back in before Karkat could see. 

“Say Dave, I would assume you would look rather dashing in a pink tie and a suit.” Now it was your turn to be flustered. 

“Oh not cool Rose.” You groaned. Karkat looked confused, which was a good thing. Rose giggled quietly to herself.

“Maybe a mix of pink and red flowers to match as well. Having everything be red would be to much of a clash. Not to mention it would look like you painted everything with blood.” She glanced at Karkat who now looked extremely befuddled. 

That was good, he has to be surprised. You glared at Kanaya and Rose, mentally telling them that they’ll ruin the surprise if they keep running their mouths. Rose nodded and Kanaya just gave you a look that tore you up inside. 

Rose stood up suddenly, stretching and yawning for effect. “Dave dear, would you like to join me on a little walk across the beach to go see what John and Jade are up to?” She gave you a look too.

“Yeah sure Rose.” You stood up, waving bye to Karkat and Kanaya, then you both were off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, thanks for reading! If you liked it let me know by giving it a kudos or leaving a comment! Thank you again!!!


	3. Love Wins

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late update guys,, I'm kinda slow at writing chapters, but I promise it's still in the process of being written ^v^!

The beach was lovely. The soft, brittle sand between your toes, the crashing blue waves, your friends having fun and most importantly, a cute Karkat without a shirt on, it was absolute perfection. Nothing could bother your unnatural high, except for your cautious sister.

“Dave, if you truly plan on proposing today please be aw-” you cut her off.

“Rose, please.” you pleaded “I know how to handle him.” You bet Kanaya set her up to this. 

“Dave, I know you know how to care for Karkat.” She paused, pursing her lilac painted lips in thought “But, you have to be aware of the fact that Karkat might not be ready for such a commitment. He might panic.” 

“Rose, he and I have been dating for almost four years I don’t think tha--” You were then rudely cut off by an innocent John Egbert wandering up.

“Hey guys!” he sang happily “What’s up?” He just smiled at you, his buck teeth showing slightly through his large grin.

“Oh nothing John, just discussing Daves future.” Roses eyes sparkled with mischief, and her seemingly innocent smile had daggers in it.

“Oh? What’s going on Dave? You planning on popping the question?” He joked, laughing at his own joke slightly. Your face must’ve gave it away because he gasped loudly. “No way! Dave holy hell!!!”

“Ok, Ok, you caught me. But keep it on the down low, don’t tell anyone else, got it?” He nodded enthusiastically and retrieved the lost volleyball after a rowdy beckon from Vriska. (“The hell is this, a fucking teenage girl slumber party?! Get your ass in gear Egbert!”)

After recovering your pride, Rose giggled and pushed your shades back up the bridge of your nose. “You’re such a doofus sometimes.” You smiled mostly for her sake and risked a glance back to Kanaya and Karkat. 

They seemed to be locked in a deep conversation. Whatever the topic was, it certainly wasn't anything like a deep secret, Karkat had that worried sick look. The one where he plays with his hands and his face is twisted up yet strangely serene. Currently his brows were knotted together and his mouth a tight frown. Kanya had brought up an unliked topic, you knew this mostly because she was the one enthusiastically talking and gesturing. Strange. The Maryam-LaLondes had a plan,what that plan was exactly, you were yet to find out. 

Before you could continue your close watch on them, Rose dragged you the rest of the way to the Volleyball Court. She kept on glancing back at them too, watching for a sign by the looks of it.   
“Cool kid, just in time! I was hoping you’d join us in a round of Volleyball!” Vriska preached. “It’ll be fun, I promise~” She sing-songed. 

~

“I don't know Kanaya im nervous about the whole thing…” He paused, thinking “Why today? Can’t it just wait like… a few months more?” 

“No way!” you panicked, “Karkat you’ve been wanting to do this for the past 6 months, you can't back off now!” 

Your moirail scowled at that. He tried to give off an angry, uncaring persona, but really he cared much more than any of us combined. Karkat’s always been a sweetheart, and you don't know what you'd do without him. And by finally pushing him to finally propose to Dave today, the chances of them both getting down on one knee at the same time is a high possibility. It’d be a funny story to tell at least. 

“Kanaya…” Karkat started “What happens if he says no?” He was looking off in the distance at Dave. He was playing volleyball against Vriska, and by the looks of it, losing.   
“Why would he decline that Karkat? He loves you immensely.” You wanted to tell him so badly. To tell him Dave's plan, and how Dave has the same fear and how he told her and Rose about his undying love for Karkat. But sadly she couldn't. It would ruin everything, and that would be bad.

“How do you know that?” He focused his attention to you “How do you know that he truly does love me Kanaya? For all you know I could just be some sick perversion to having an alien boyfriend and being able to flaunt it. Or maybe i'm just an object to him, a doll that he uses. Or maybe I don’t mean anything to him and thats why hes been acting so strange lately. After we walked through that portal he got John back, my purposed all dried up and now i’m just dead weight.” 

You gasped and hugged him tightly. You knew he had self deprecating tendencies, but holy shit. 

“Karkat, honey, look at me right now.” He looked into your eyes, his watering and deep with emotions. “Dave loves you so much it's unbelievable. He used to call Rose at ungodly hours of the night crying about how beautiful and precious you are to him. For goodness sakes Karkat, he came over last week and paced our living room floor until he had steam coming from his feet and a hole in our floor. The whole time he ranted on and on about the little things you do that make him squeal internally or it added another infinity to his life.” You took a deep breath, “Karkat Vantas, Dave Strider loves you so much that without you he would absolutely shrivel up and expire.” You finished, your heart welling up with intense feelings of your own.

Karkat then began to sob. He folded himself up in your arms and sobbed loudly, thus attracting the attention of a now, severely alert Dave. 

Within seconds he was at Karkats side, holding him and shushing him and petting his hair. His shades covered his eyes, but you felt the daggers of enragement. In response you put your hands up in a claim of innocence and mock confusion. He immediately looked away and held Karkat in his arms while he cried into his lovers shoulder. 

After Karkat had calmed down a bit Dave picked him up and muttered something about “them time.” Then he was off, carrying Karkat bridal style to a shady spot in the far distance. 

You wondered what would happen between the two of them during their “them time.”


	4. Love Wins

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Im sO sorry I suck at posting. Anyways, please enjoy xO

“Dave, put me down, this is embarrassing.” To which it probably was. His cheeks were flushing a bright, cherry red that would make Terezi faint, and he whimpered uncomfortably whilst trying to shift himself out of your arms.

“No way are you getting out of my firm yet loving grasp. I’m like a military dad telling my rowdy daughter that I love her whilst she proceeds to kick me in the shin.” 

Karkat laughed at that one. “So now i’m your daughter huh?” 

“Yep, without a doubt my baby girl.” He groaned exasperatedly at you. His flushed cheeks were finally settling to their trademarked light grey. 

With a quick glance behind yourself, you judged that you both were far enough out. This was concluded by the fact you could barely make out the lazing forms of Kanaya and Rose on a blanket. 

You set karkat down gently “careful with the merchandise buckaroo.” He quipped at you.  
Once you both were comfortably sitting cross legged on the scalding sand, you cleared your throat. 

“Hey Karkat I--” “Dont ruin the moment.” He cut you off with his hand up. “But I gotta tell you something.” “No, Dave. Can we just sit in silence for once? As much as I love your voice I also like the sound of waves more.” He grinned cheekily at you. “Wow, so would you prefer if I was just a giant wave instead?” “That would be preferable” Karkat teased. 

He always does that crap. It's really his only way of making you flustered, so he overdoes it constantly. But that's ok, as long as he’ll have you in his life for the rest of it. 

After about twenty minutes of silence you broke it. It was peaceful, yeah, but you needed to do this now or never.

“Karks I-” “Dave you gotta know s-” You turned to each other, meaning to say the same thing unknowingly. “You first princess.” You joked lightly. “No, its ok, you were pestering me about something earlier. So go ahead.” 

With a deep breathe you adjusted yourself to fully be facing him. He looked at you expectantly, thinking you were just joking around. Until you removed your shades. His brows knitted together tightly and his eyes screamed panic. 

“Karkat i have to tell you something that's been on my mind for a long time.” His eyes welled up and he looked down. “So this is it, huh?” His shoulders sagged and he deflated. 

Your heart throbbed and you grabbed his shoulders. “Babe, what?” “You're breaking up with me…” You noticed he was fiddling with something in his pocket. 

“Babe, no way in hell would I ever do that!” You lifted his chin up, kind of forcing him to look at you. “Karkat, what I want is the opposite of that….” You looked to the side, worried now. Your plans had been thrown out of whack and you had to pick them back up stat. 

“What I want is you.” You paused to grab his hands, “Karkat you've made me the happiest man alive, and nothing could ever change that! Your smile, your hair, your hands, your eyes, hell, your fucing everything just makes me implode.” 

His tears had dried up, and he was looking at you with confusion replacing fear. “Dave you better not be-” Cutting him off quickly, panic jumpstarting you, you continued your pursuit. 

“You alone will always be the sunshine to my rainy day. The rainbow in the sky to my Noahs Ark. The Hands to my Muppets. The focal point of my coolness My everything. My god damned world.” “You went to reach into your pocket, when Karkat suddenly sparked into motion, grabbing the object he had been fiddling with earlier. He then continued to rip you hand away from your pocket and stare deeply into your own, crimson red ones. His eyes were now alight with passion and purpose. 

“Dave Strider, will you just fucking human marry me already?” He thrust the ring onto your ring finger and looked up at you. 

The words had been stolen from you, but somehow made perfect sense.   
“Karkat Vantas,” You smirked reaching into your own pocket to retrieve his ring. “Let's end this painful book and start a new one.” You slid his ring more carefully onto his own ring finger, then leaned forward and kissed him. 

This was the single most important moment in your infinite life. Nothing else could compare to your passionate love to Karkat Vantas. He was the one, and only, love you will ever need. 

He pulled back first, dazed and staring at his ring. It had his symbol on it where the usual trademarked giant fucking diamond would be. Instead his sign was lined with bright red rubies, and as far as you could tell he loved it. 

“Dave, I love you so much you tiny human brain can never compute it.” He hugged you and never let go. Thus you seized the opportunity to pick him back up bridal style and carry him back to the group. This was a party after all. 

He didn't fight you this time, just choosing to enjoy his free ride back. When you finally reached Kanaya and Rose they immediately turned and looked at your hand and Karkat's hand. They had this huge shit eating grin that spelled they planned this out. And you couldn't care less if they did, you were beyond elated at this point. 

“How does it feel to be engaged boys?” Rose chirped. “You should know exactly how that feels Rose.” you stated back. Kanaya and Rose got married shortly after we arrived on our new planet. They have thus since been the only ones to be in a serious, committed relationship besides you and Karkat. Now everything was weirdly perfect, Karkat and Kanaya are moirails, while you and rose are siblings. It's sort of weird how perfect this scenario is.   
Then what seemed like minutes later, everyone knew the big news. John hugged you and said something about growing up, Vriska made a short remark about how Kanaya and Rise are basically us but female, and Terezi congratulated us both, having been somewhat interested in us both at some point in time. Jade cried and hugged you both claiming she's already ready for the wedding, Dirk got all awkward, feeling like he was supposed to say something to you. But in the end he just gave you a pat on the back and a “good job sport.” 

In the end though, everyone was happy for us and wished us luck in our next step. Which turned out to be exactly what we needed.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! Im still working out the kinks in the story, I have a general idea of what is going to happen, but i want cool twists and stuff so yknow,, it'll be slow paced at first. But I hope you enjoy it!!


End file.
